Recording methods utilizing inkjet methods allow recording of high-quality images on various recording media by, for example, ejecting droplets of inks from a number of nozzle holes arranged on an inkjet head. Therefore, recording methods utilizing inkjet methods are widely used.
For example, pigments are widely used as a colorant that is one of the components of an ink. The pigment is dispersed in a medium such as water, and used.
Pigment inks containing a pigment readily become viscous and gradually solidify due to evaporation of solvent components in the inks. When a pigment ink has solidified, it is hard to dissolve the inks again afterwards. Therefore, when thickening and solidification of ink proceeds, the ink is gradually accumulated on a nozzle tip portion of an inkjet head and the like, and as a result, the nozzle holes may become narrower or clogging may be caused, which leads to problems such as deviation in the ejection direction of ink or non-ejection. As such adhesion and accumulation of ink proceed, it becomes difficult to maintain the performance by using a nozzle cap, a wiping unit, or the like, and as a result, the image forming property over time is deteriorated.
Further, in a composition including a polymer component such as a polymer or wax in the ink for the purpose of, for example, improvement in rub resistance of the formed image or prevention of peeling, solidification and accumulation of ink as described above occur more easily.
In connection with the above circumstances, various investigations have been conducted concerning cleaning liquids (so-called maintenance liquids) for washing off inks. As a specific example of such cleaning liquids, a cleaning liquid for an inkjet recording apparatus, which includes a polyoxyalkylene monoalkyl ether having a substituent that includes a polyoxyalkylene moiety as a branched chain in the alkyl chain, has been disclosed (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2005-146224). Further, a cleaning liquid for an inkjet recording apparatus, which includes a polyoxyalkylene monoalkyl ether that includes more ethylene oxide chains than propylene oxide chains, has been disclosed (see, for example, JP-A No. 2011-140556).
In these documents, it is described that, by not washing the recording head but rather washing the flow channel where the ink of the inkjet recording apparatus flows with the cleaning liquid, and by the inclusion of a specific polyoxyalkylene monoalkyl ether, there is no problem with the ink refilling property after washing.
Moreover, an ink set that has an ink including polymer particles and a maintenance liquid including an aromatic ring-containing organic solvent has been disclosed, and a compound in which a phenyl group is bonded to an ethyleneoxy group or propyleneoxy group is described (see, for example, JP-A No. 2010-155905).